Vacuum circuit breaker



Sept. 13, 1938. H. VATTER VACUUM CIRCUIT BREAKER Filed Sept. 14, 1936 Patented Sept. 13, 1938 2,129,892 l VACUUM CIRCUIT BBEAKEB Hans Vatter, Berlin-Charlottenburg, assigner to Siemens & Halske Germany, Aktiengesellschaft, Siemennstadt, near Berlin, Germany, a corporation of Germany Application September 14, 1936, Serial No. 190,632

In Germany September 3, 1935 4 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in vacuum circuit breakers.

It -is well known in the art to design vacuum circuit breakers in such a manner that the actuation of the switching members is effected insidethe vacuum vessel by means of an elastic portion of the vessel wall. bulb switches a portion of the glass surface has hitherto been made elastic by designing it in the form of corrugated sheet iron. Glass bulb switches have the great disadvantage in that they are comparatively fragile so that they cannot be used for rough services, particularly for military purposes on field vehicles or the like. l5 According to the invention, vacuum circuit breakers of high resistivity and efliciency are designed in the way illustrated by the accompanying drawing in which p Fig. l shows a circuit breaker in longitudinal section, and

Fig. 2 a central transverse section through` a modifled form of the breaker.

'Ihe enclosure of the circuit breaker shown in Fig. 1 consists of a tube I of vacuum-tight 25 ceramic material. The ends of the tube are metallized as indicated at 2 and 3; One end'of the tube is closed by a metallic cap 4 which is soldered at 3 to form a vacuum-tight joint. The

soldering is effected in the manner that a ring consisting of soldering material is at rst arranged in the cap. To prevent the soldering material from owing inside the discharge vessel a disc 6 is so arranged as to cause the molten soldering material to ow in the joint l. The cap I may at the same time serve to support one electrode 8. 'I'he electrode 9 or the counterelectrode 9 may be designed at least in part as a tube and serve as a connection for a vacuum pump during the manufacturing process. The

other end of the tube I carries, for instance, a

flange-shaped extension Il), at the periphery II of which is soldered or welded a metallic diaphragm I2.

The counter-electrode 9 is secured to the metallic diaphragm so that when the outer portion of the electrode 9 is moved the electrodes 9 and 9 may be brought into engagement at I3. It is understood that also any other contact mechanism which is actuated upon moving the part 9,

-may be arranged in the interior of the tube. In

' some cases it may be preferable not to give the diaphragm I2 a circular form but design it in such a manner that the movement of the part 9 in the direction of one of the axes of the dia'.-

phragm I2, as shown bythe arrows in the plane For instance, in glass (Cl. 20o-144) of the drawing experiences a smaller resistance than in other directions of axis.

One of the electrodes is preferably formed as a ring, in the interior of which is placed the other electrode. In this manner, the movable elec- 5 trode is brought into proper engagement with the other electrode, irrespective of the direction of motion of the movable electrode. By dimensioning the outer diameter of the ring in a corresponding manner the maximum deflection of l0 the movable electrode may at the same time be limited. Fig. 2 shows a sectional view of such a vacuum circuit breaker. 'Ihe movable electrode 9 carries a ring I4 inside of which is placed the iixed electrode. The electrode 9 comes into en- 15 gagement with the electrode 9 independently of the direction of motion of the electrode 9. 'I'he maximum deection is attained when the outer edge of the ring I4 contacts with the inner wall of the tube I. 20

I claim as my invention:

1. As an article of manufacture, a vacuum switch comprising a tube of ceramic material adapted to be evacuated, a fixed and a movable contact element cooperatively disposed in said 25 tube, two metal end caps for closing the two tube ends, each cap electrically connected with one of said contact elements and serving as a support therefor, each tube end having `a metal layer vacuum-tight attached to its wall with which the 30 appertaining cap is in contact and solder for vacuum-tight connecting each cap with the contacting metal layer, a protective disc arranged between each of said caps and the interior part of said tube and extending across the tube open- 35 ing inside of each cap designed to conne the solder flow to the joint between the inner cap wall and the adjacent metal layer, one of said caps having an elastic wall in which the movable contact element is mounted vacuum-tight inter- 40 mediate its-ends to permit the movement of said element from outside.

2. As an article of manufacture, a vacuum switch comprising a tubular container of ceramic material, a metallic coating disposed on the out- 45 side surface of each end of said container, a metal cap placed over each end of said container, two coacting contact electrodes movable relative to each other, each being mounted ,to one of said 'caps respectively, a solder bond tightly connect- 50 ing said coating and said cap, and a protective disk'arranged in said cap so as to close the interior of said container against said solder.

3. As anv article of manufacture, an evacuated ceramic tube forming the enclosure of an elec- 55 tric control device and having a tube opening covered by a metal cap, in combination with a metallic coating disposed on and integral with the surface portion oi' said tube covered by said can. solder forming a bond between said coating and said cap, said cap and said tube being designed to form an annular interstice for the reception oi a ring-shaped body consisting of said solder so as to allow producing said bond by heating said body within said cap, and a protective disk arranged in said cap and closing said opening against said solder for coniining the now o! said solder.

4. As an article of manufacture, an electric device comprising a container oi ceramic marial having an opening covered by a metal cap. in combination with a metal coating disposed on and integral with the ceramic surface oi said container, a solder bond connecting said coating and said cap, and a protective member disposed ln said cap so as to close said opening against said solder in order to conne the iiow of said solder to the joint between cap and coating when 10 producing said bond.

HANS VAT'I'ER. 

